Workforce Education: A New Roadmap

“Bonvillian and Sarma tackle one of the toughest, and most important problems facing the United States. Their survey of today’s decentralized, disconnected ‘system’ of workforce education is often a tour of disappointments and shortcomings but it also takes us to programs that work and that might lend themselves to replication under committed national leadership. The authors offer no single silver bullet, but a raft of tools and principles for business, government, and educators to follow.”—Robert Siegel, former host of NPR’s All Things Considered “Bonvillian and Sarma have given us a thought-provoking assessment of the state of workforce preparation and a roadmap for restoring productivity to the American workforce. They cite innovative examples that, if scaled, offer opportunities for workers, benefits for employers, and advancement for the broader society. This book should be read.”—Peter McPherson, President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities “Work in America is changing, and the current health and economic crises are accelerating and deepening those changes. Education has and will be the key connector between individuals and the world of work. Bonvillian and Sarma have written a careful, nuanced, and detailed analysis of both the current state of workforce education and its potential, illustrated by real examples and propelled by genuine optimism. Workforce Education is a needed and valuable contribution for policymakers, employers, and educators alike.”—Ted Mitchell, President of the American Council on Education “Bonvillian and Sarma present an alarming problem statement backed by a rich evidence base of data. Their presentation of a compelling set of innovative strategies and policy recommendations at the institutional, state, and federal levels, offers a new vision, or roadmap, to a more equitable prosperity for our country.”—Mark Mitsui, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges, US Department of Education